Peter Kennaugh and Ian Stannard seeking new Sky contracts

Sky races towards its second Tour de France win on Sunday in Paris with Chris Froome, but some of the British riders are curious about their future within the team. Peter Kennaugh and Ian Stannard, who have been with the team since its start, need their contracts renewed.

“This team is incredible to be a part of and what we’re doing here is an amazing thing,” Kennaugh told Cycling Weekly. “I can see myself having a great future here, who knows, though, no one has offered me a contract yet.”

The 24-year-old joined in 2010 on a two-year contract, which he renewed for two years through 2013.

He has been vital to Froome in the mountains, pulling both in the Ax 3 Domaines and Mont Ventoux mountain stages before Richie Porte took over.

“In the next few years, I see myself focusing on the Grand Tours and developing in this job,” he added. “If you see what Richie did last year and how he was able to move on this year, sort of similar to that.”

Stannard, who signed a similar two-year contract through 2013, led in the classics before working for Froome in the Tour de France.

“I really enjoy this team, it’s like a real family,” the 26-year-old explained.

“I’ve been through the British Cycling system, and it’s the team I want to stay with, but I have to think about my future and what’s best for me as well.”

Stannard rode by Mark Cavendish’s team Omega Pharma-Quick Step on his way to the start. He said that he would “love” to ride with his old team-mate in the Belgian team. He added, “I just need to see what the best option is for myself.”

Sky has enjoyed so much success, especially in stage races, that teams are eager to snatch its riders. When talking about renewing Froome’s contract beyond 2014, team principal David Brailsford expressed his concern for keeping homegrown talent.

“Obviously, as riders develop and improve, their value keeps escalating. We have to manage that so that a rider feels like he’s getting paid the value he’s worth,” Brailsford told Cycling Weekly.

“Quite a few riders come [to Sky] on a certain contract, at a certain level to invest in themselves. They’ll say, ‘I’ll take this for now, with a view to develop this up to a level where I can get a high level contract.’ If that happens, it’s all well and good, and they want that value, which is only fair.”

They may sign contracts soon as Stannard said wants to have a deal secured before the Tour de France reaches Paris on Sunday.